A few weeks later...
In the Evergreen Empire, Maximillian was at the headquarters of the Blood Triangle Pirates, where he had been operating since returning to his home state.
After several months in this place, he had gathered great forces on his side, gained the support of noble families in the empire, partnerships with the Flowers Kingdom, and strength among the Cardinals of the Church.
In a way, his plans to become the leader of the Church and start a war of conquest were going very well.
However, Duncan had been making things difficult for him, which was why the conflicts had not yet escalated.
For the time being, Duncan had managed to manage the tensions and prevent the outbreak of war between the South and the West.
But the Supreme Pontiff could not do this forever due to Maximillian's growing influence and his advancing age.